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Brucellosis in Cattle and Wildlife

Brucellosis persists in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in elk and bison, and is a recurring threat to domestic livestock production. It also has reproductive effects on elk and bison. The department has work for many years with personnel in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to address specific research needs concerning brucellosis, particularly related to vaccines. Since Wyoming lost its brucellosis free status in February 2004, due to brucellosis in one herd in the western part of the state, research on this topic remains a high priority for the department and for the Wyoming Livestock Board. The state of Wyoming has established a task force to look at the science and management issue of brucellosis, and two faculty members (D O’Toole and K Mills) serve on the task force or its technical subcommittee